Monday, December 17, 2012

Finding a Positive Path Forward

Today must have been a tough day to send a young son or daughter off to school. I am happy to report that both our students and staff experienced a strong sense of community; positive regard radiated throughout our classrooms and corridors. What began as a day fraught with challenge and difficulty ended with feelings of warmth and accomplishment.

The Bronxville Teachers Association started the morning with a staff breakfast that set a tone of mutual support. Then, as our students filled their classrooms, Elementary School teachers responded appropriately to any questions that arose, varying with the age of the children. Middle School students participated in a brief assembly emphasizing safety and connections with each other. The High School held a moment of silence and reflection. At all three schools, we have been able to resume the important work of learning and teaching. Yet it is clear that we were not just conducting business as usual, but rather maintaining productive routines with a deeper sensitivity to the very human feelings we share.

While it is natural in these circumstances to experience heightened safety concerns, please know that our building continues to be a place where even minor incidents are rare. As a measure of reassurance and precaution, we expect to continue a low key police or security guard presence for the rest of this week. We have taken steps to ensure continuous coverage at each entry. In the longer term, the events in Newtown will of course lead us to reassess and strengthen our security procedures. We have been in daily communication with Police Chief Satriale since Friday, and some options for the future are already in motion. Our safety committee meets monthly, with representation from teachers, parents, administrators, Board of Education members, and police. In the months ahead I'm sure the committee will be reviewing ideas, concerns, and suggestions in order to select and enact some practical proposals for improvement.

We are grateful for your support and for the positive spirit and resilience that your children bring to the school.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

After Newtown

Events in Newtown break our hearts and challenge our ability to make sense of the world around us. If you shed tears or felt a lump in your throat this weekend, you are not alone.  As parents and educators we share a value in the idea of a protected childhood, but events like the Newtown shootings shake us to our roots and force us to confront our vulnerability and our limits. As we try to comprehend what happened, surely we share a deep grief that binds us, one to the other.

Newtown's proximity amplifies our horror and our empathy.  That school district, not so different from our own, will need time and resources for many years to come, and I have offered our assistance. The long-term impact is unknown but profound.

As we struggle to understand and to help our children understand what happened, we can turn to other resources and expertise. Here are links to guidance from the National Association of School Psychologists and the National Trauma Intervention Programs. Local resources, such as school psychologists and counselors, are available to students, staff, and parents. We assure you that the school staff will remain attentive and vigilant to signs of student distress.

For those concerned about local security measures, please know that our schools continue to carry out a sound safety plan, including entry check points, lockdown drills, surveillance cameras, and security guard services. We have no reason to believe that these tragic events have heightened the risk at our schools. Nevertheless, we have communicated with the Bronxville Police who have already stepped up their presence at the School. Please know that their presence represents a precautionary measure and a way to reassure the public; it does not signify any increased risk or specific problem. We have also made some minor adjustments to our usual protocols for visitors to the school, and we will undoubtedly monitor and reassess current procedures in the weeks ahead.

If you have been following the news, you know that the swift and caring actions of the Newtown faculty and staff saved many lives.  We honor their heroism, expressing the shared commitment to the lives of children that is the hallmark of their chosen profession. In the coming days, I hope we all find strength and comfort in our common humanity and sense of community.

-- David Quattrone, Superintendent of Schools

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Board Accepts $1.95 Million Donation

Peggy Williams, Foundation Director
The Bronxville School Foundation's Final Act Project presented the Bronxville Board of Education with a $1.95 million donation toward the renovation of the School's auditorium. This project was approved by voters this past October and budgeted at $7.5 million.  The donation supplements an earlier $850,000 grant by the Foundation and is separate from the fundraising efforts of the PTA. The fund-raising effort gained additional momentum when an anonymous donor matched contributions up to of $750,000, which is included in the total. Board President David Brashear thanked Foundation executive director Peggy Williams: "I want to thank everyone involved in the fundraising effort and who contributed to the campaign, especially the anonymous matching donor ... All of your gifts are deeply appreciated by this Board and the entire community. I continue to be amazed at the way we work together in Bronxville to make it the best place it can be."

The donation is a major component of the public/private partnership that the Board conceived as a creative way to realize a long-range capital plan in times of financial scarcity. The complete capital plan also includes upgrading Middle School science labs and certain parts of the infrastructure, but those projects are not included in the scope of the gift to the school and will be funded through the approved bonds.

Superintendent David Quattrone thanked project leaders Steven Kraemer, Christine Ftizgibbons, and Jennifer Mackesy, and added, "This gift shows the incredible commitment our community has to providing the children of Bronxville with an excellent education.  The energy and generosity is marvelous to behold, and our students will benefit from this effort for many years in the future.  This project is a once-a-century opportunity, and this particular effort makes it possible to move beyond the adequate to something very special."

District Prepares for Tri-State Visit

Teachers have produced some promising innovations across all grades in connection with our critical and creative thinking initiative, including the following examples:
  • Elementary teachers have visited each others' classrooms, studying the extent to which students and teachers ask high level questions in the classroom. The Board of Education will hear a progress report in January.
  • Geometry students are demonstrating flexible thinking by using multiple methods to verify the Pythagorean theorem.
  • Students are researching  geological formations and producing models, maps, and descriptions that apply their knowledge to a hypothetical situation.
  • Students are creating visual essays that connect the work of Picasso to two works from different time periods and cultures. 
  • Students study the cultural phenomenon of violence as entertainment in ancient Rome through the translation of Latin quotations and the study or related articles. 
These and many other student projects are designed to strengthen student's capacity for higher level thinking.  How do we know if we are accomplishing our goal? To help us answer this question we have planned a three-day visit/consultancy from the Tri-State Commission, scheduled for May 1-3, 2013.

In the past, our accreditation visits from the Tri-State Consortium have focused on a single K-12 discipline - mathematics in 2005 and science in 2009.  This year we are taking a different approach: we are asking the visiting team of educators to assess our critical and creative thinking initiative. Rather than gathering artifacts related to a single subject, we will be assessing our improvement process and the extent to which our professional development work uses the evaluation of student work to inform and improve curriculum design, teaching strategies, and student engagement.  Perhaps most important, all faculty members will play an active role in the visit, not only those who teach a particular subject.

This new approach is an outgrowth of discussions by a working group of the Consortium, the 21st Century Task Force. Other districts using the model include Scarsdale, Weston (CT), Chappaqua, and North Salem. Founded in 1992, the Tri-State Consortium is a group of 43 school districts in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut committed to enhancing student performance. Bronxville was a founding member. 

The visiting team will explore our guiding questions by looking at action research studying the questions students and teachers ask (Elementary School), examples of assured experiences and student work (6-12), observing teacher teams in action, interviewing students and teachers, and visiting classrooms. The three-day visit culminates in a feedback session for the staff, in which the visiting committee asks questions and offers insights and preliminary conclusions about what they have seen. The findings help shape future professional development plans.

Board Explores Project Labor Agreement

The facilities committee met to review design progress.
The Bronxville Board of Education is retaining a consultant to assess the District's eligibility for a project labor agreement. If approved, a project labor agreement would permit the district to hire a single prime contractor to coordinate and manage the various trades involved in renovating the School's auditorium and Middle School science labs.

The Board awarded a contract to Hill International to conduct the study for a cost not to exceed $30,000. The study, a required step in the process, will determine if a project labor agreement would meet thresholds of cost effectiveness and labor unrest. After completion, the report will be reviewed by legal counsel prior to making a decision about whether to move forward with this approach.

Earlier this week the Board's advisory committee on facilities also heard progress reports from KG&D concerning the auditorium and science lab renovations. Architects and school administrators have met with user groups to confirm the program of spaces and the detailed planning has begun:

Auditorium
  • KG&D has completed the exact measurement of existing conditions using laser scanning and 3-D modeling.
  • The lead and asbestos survey has been completed and we are waiting for the results.
  • The engineers will investigate subsurface conditions, study existing pilings and the need for additional pilings. (This is Tom Nichol's area of expertise, and he asked to be a part of the study.)
  • KG&D has determined it would be feasible to convert the Foundation office to a rest room (for boys; there is a girl's room across the hall)
  • The work with the theater consultants has been productive but has been somewhat slower than expected.
Science Labs
  • One of the rooms will remain a general classroom, leaving four labs. 
  • The gas feed will be to the demonstration tables only.
  • One portable fume hood will be purchased.
  • To assure flexibility, the lab tables will be movable, not fixed.
  • All labs will have sufficient wireless access
  • The boys bathroom, which is not handicapped accessible, will be converted to a prep/storage area. Another bathroom is nearby in the crossover area.
  • We will reuse doors and specialized cabinets for goggles and chemicals.
In a separate matter, consultant Bill Aniscovich reported on the current state of the concession stand/maintenance shed/press box project. He expects state approval pending receipt of the electrical engineer's revisions, at which time the district will re-bid this work as a combined project, hoping to lower the cost.  The first round of bids were rejected as all bids exceeded the budgeted costs and available funds.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Mandated Retirement Costs Push Beyond 2% Cap

At its December 3rd budget workshop the Bronxville Board of Education studied three factors affecting the 2013-14 school budget - mandated retirement costs, rising enrollment, and private school transportation. Assistant Superintendent Dan Carlin explained the specific details of each factor. Required employer contributions to state retirement systems are projected to rise $1,099,357. State pension funds require all school districts and municipalities to contribute certain percentages of payroll into these systems; there is no local control of this mandate. For the employee system (ERS), this percentage is expected to rise from 18.9% of salary paid to 20.9%. For the teacher system (TRS), the percentage is expected to rise from 11.8% to 16.5%. The preliminary calculation of $1,099,357 does not include any negotiated salary increments from year to year, so the final number will be higher.  These increases in retirement costs represent a 2.8% difference in the overall tax levy, which exceeds the legislated tax cap by a significant margin.

Rising student enrollment is a second pressure on the budget. Although the overall budget has been relatively flat since 2008, the student enrollment has grown, with 3% occurring in the current year and an additional 2% anticipated in 2013-14. The biggest jump is expected at the Middle School, which is projected to go from 403 students to 420 students. In order to keep average class sizes at the Middle School below 25, the district would need to add the equivalent of a full time teacher. Superintendent David Quattrone mentioned that in the case of the High School, the District had deliberately increased some class sizes in order to introduce certain electives. He added that staff additions involved multiple variables, including impact on space, teacher quality, ripple effects on other programs, and long-term demographics.It is not clear that the district can afford any staff additions in the present context.

A third budget factor is private school transportation.  The state requires the district to transport students who reside in Bronxville to private schools within a fifteen mile radius. The costs of this service have  declined over the past three years, dropping from $556,707 to $384,200. This drop reflects the fact that fewer Bronxville students are currently using this service (74 in 2009, 57 in 2012) and also favorable contracts recently negotiated with transportation providers.  Bronxville now participates in a consortium with Eastchester, Tuckahoe, Pelham, and New Rochelle, coordinated by BOCES.  The Board's analysis and discussion focused on opportunities for reducing costs and optimizing service, and Carlin provided a detailed analysis of the transportation logistics involved for each private school and the potential cost savings. Private school parents in attendance expressed concern about potential reductions in current service, turning instead to public transportation. Board President Brashear responded that the Board intends to be sensitive to such issues as age of student, length of ride, safety, and specific circumstances, but remained hopeful that some efficiencies could be found.

This workshop followed an earlier session in September that focused on the use of reserves and long-range planning.  The next workshop will occur on February 9, at which time the Superintendent will present a rollover budget  -- what would it cost to run the same programs in 2013-14? -- for the Board to consider.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Board Commends Storm Preparations

President David Brashear opened the November Board of Education meeting by praising the District's recent storm preparations led by Assistant Superintendent John Kehoe. Anticipating Storm Sandy, the facilities staff successfully relocated all equipment, furniture, and instructional materials from the first floor of the School. The project involved rapid expansion and deployment of labor services from the District's vendor of custodial services, A+A, and coordination with Morris Moving, which supplied four tractor trailers. The School's food service provider, Chartwell, worked to remove portable equipment and saved food by renting a freezer truck. This enabled the School to resume full cafeteria service right away.  Brashear specifically acknowledged the efforts of facilities supervisor Mike Lee and Mike Peragine, Steve Feaster, Chris Forbes, Miguel Gil, Henry Kendrick, Dan Estrada, and Jarah Aquino. Brashear cited improvements in the preparation process based on lessons learned from previous flooding events.

Superintendent David Quattrone added comments about the positive collaboration between the School and the Village, including opening the school to Village residents during the period of power outage. He also cited several community service projects, including the food drive sponsored by the Bronxville Teachers Association and numerous other direct and indirect efforts at all three schools. Later in the meeting the Board awarded a $2000 bonus for facilities supervisor Mike Lee, based on service above and beyond expectations. Assistant Superintendent Dan Carlin estimated the total cost of preparation between $90,000 and $95,000.


Engaging All Students

At the November Board of Education meeting, Director of Counseling Anne Abbatecola presented a video in which Bronxville students described their journey through high school: how their interests had evolved, the key role played by specific courses and activities, and how they were planning for the future. Several students mentioned elective courses like art history seminar, global seminar, and humanities research. Others mentioned community service, athletics, and participating in the Student Faculty Legislature.

Superintendent David Quattrone said the presentation was meant to open a dialogue about student engagement and how best to extend opportunities for in-depth inquiry to all students. While the district initiative on critical thinking has emphasized curriculum design and instructional strategies, he said it is also important to organize the academic program in such a way that balances advanced placement work with other types of learning experiences. Abbatecola spoke of the role counselors play in helping students to find a direction and take responsibility for their own learning. She reported that next steps include plans surveying the entire senior class and beginning faculty conversations about extending seminar-style courses.

Board members encouraged the School to promote its academic strengths and to communicate with colleges about the richness of our programs. Specific suggestions included conducting a follow-up study with post-graduates and examining the burden of homework.

Renovating School Facilities: Update

After the October bond referendum approving a $10 million capital plan, the District launched a reconstituted advisory committee on facilities, chaired by Board Vice President Jim Hudson. In October the Board of Education approved the roster, which includes architects, Board members, school officials, and public representatives. The committee is charged with monitoring the scope, schedule, and budget for the various projects. Links to the relevant materials, including the committee charge, the roster, and meeting summaries can be found on the District's webpage devoted to the capital plan. This webpage will be updated periodically throughout the course of the project.

The district is now seeking professional construction management services and has issued a request for proposals. Once retained, a construction manager or owner's representative would provide an independent review of the estimated budget prepared by the architect. That work is expected to take place in January 2013.
The next phase of the process, design development, involves the preparation of construction documents.  The design team has reviewed plans with the science faculty and auditorium users to clarify and confirm some of the systems and equipment that will be included.  KG&D architects  expect to submit drawings to the State Education Department this coming spring. The tentative schedule calls for the bidding process to be completed over the summer and construction to begin in the fall of 2013.

Friday, November 2, 2012

After the Storm, School Takes a Step To Restore Normal Routine

The Bronxville School resumed classes today with a delayed start at 10 AM.  Student attendance was excellent (between 80% and 90%, depending on the school), and twelve teachers were absent for weather-related reasons. Students followed an adjusted schedule throughout the day, and food service was fully operational.

Meanwhile, the remaining furniture, equipment, and material that had been removed from the bottom floor are now back in place, and Elementary special education classes and kindergarten classes are scheduled as usual for Monday, November 5.  Next Friday's Superintendent's conference day will be held as scheduled (This day counts toward the state requirement of 180 days. As of now, Bronxville still meets the minimum requirements.)

Superintendent David Quattrone thanked the faculty and staff for their efforts to get to school and expressed concern about the larger community: "As you know, the Village as a whole is still largely without electricity, and the weather is getting colder.  These circumstances were a major factor in deciding to have school today: providing  our students with a warm environment, a hot meal, and constructive activity. We have taken a first step toward re-establishing some kind of normal routine. With so many homes without power, please be sensitive and realistic about assignments. We are extending the first quarter by two weeks."

The School is reaching out to the community in two additional ways.The cafeteria will be open for a few hours tomorrow and Sunday so that residents can have limited wireless access and recharge cell phones and laptops. Beginning Monday we are also making the fireplace room available from 9 to 3 so that senior citizens who lack electricity have a warm place to sit for a while.

Please understand that circumstances may change across the region, affecting our ability to run school.  The availability of gasoline is a major factor at the moment.  We will monitor the situation and communicate with school families through K12 Alerts and on our website.

Photo Gallery of Storm Preparations

Photo Gallery of Storm Preparations

Friday, October 19, 2012

Auditor Presents 2012 Report

Susan Barossi of O'Connor Davies present the findings of the Bronxville School's audit for 2011-12.  The report cited Moody's Aa2 rating for the District, indicating "healthy financial operations with solid reserve levels."  The report found no material weaknesses and no instances or suspicions or allegations of fraud.  The audit determined that accounting policies and their application were appropriate for the District.  The District has thus far been able to replenish its unassigned reserves at 4% of the operating budget, the maximum permissible by law.

The auditor further reported that the District is fully meeting the annual obligations of post-retirement benefits in keeping with accounting and legal requirements.

The report noted that the expenses incurred in connection with the Hurricane Irene flood, about $5 million, were offset by insurance recovery money and not taxpayer dollars.

Board Adopts Code of Conduct

After a public hearing and discussion, the Board of Education adopted the proposed Code of Conduct at its October meeting. The new Code incorporates requirements of the Dignity for All Students Act and includes a comprehensive set of school rules and consequences.

As part of the review process, this Code was presented to the High School Student Faculty Legislature. That presentation has led to an effort to communicate the student-developed honor code more widely, through posters and discussion.  Board members expressed an interest in exploring key provisions of the Code in greater depth; such presentations could raise public awareness of rights and responsibilities. The Code will be reviewed regularly, and there were some specific suggestions for future revisions, such as spelling out the role and responsibilities of coaches.

The adopted Code can be found here.

Board Endorses District Goals for 2012-13


Building on four strategic questions that frame the goal-setting process, the Bronxville Board of Education adopted District goals in the areas of learning and teaching, the learning environment, facilities, and finances.

The strategic questions are:

  • How can we ensure that Bronxville provides the best possible curriculum and instruction, leading to the success of every student?
  • How can the Bronxville School best help the community in the effort to promote healthy, safe, responsible behavior among its young people?
  • How can school facilities best support the current and future learning needs of our students?
  • What comprises a fiscally responsible, sustainable model of educational excellence for the Bronxville School? 

In September several Board members suggested language changes, more emphasis on community-wide efforts regarding social development goals, and eliminating specific reference to the tax cap. The recommendations were incorporated into the revised goals and were approved as follows:

  1. Promote student critical and creative thinking through discipline-based assured experiences at every grade level, including the design and implementation of assessments, the collaborative examination of student work, and sharing of effective practices.
  2. Carry out the district program for reviewing annual professional performance, including state and local assessments, student learning objectives, the review of student learning results, and the evaluation of teacher and principal effectiveness. Review and revise the plan as necessary for 2013-14. 
  3. Strengthen school and community programs that support student initiative, responsibility, and mutual respect.
  4. Contingent upon a successful bond referendum, begin approved renovations to Middle School science labs, the auditorium, and infrastructure improvements. 
  5. Develop a 2013-14 school budget that is educationally sound and fiscally prudent.
  6. Negotiate successor contracts with the Bronxville Teachers Association and administrators that ensure a high quality professional staff and reflect responsible stewardship of community resources.
The document can be found here.



 
 
 



Tuesday, October 2, 2012

A Message from Superintendent David Quattrone

Today, Bronxville residents approved a $4.5 million bond referendum by a margin of 490 to 194. Augmented by over $3 million in private contributions and $2.5 million in a construction reserve, this vote authorizes funding to renovate science laboratories, the auditorium, and make other infrastructure improvements. The turnout exceeded the showing in recent school budget elections -- 356 in 2010, 297 in 2011, and 505 this past May.

Public endorsement of the capital plan shows that the Bronxville community is not only extraordinarily generous financially, but also deeply committed to its children and their schools. Let me give thanks and appreciation to all those who did so much to raise money, get out the vote, and build public awareness of the genuine need to undertake this work. Particular thanks go to the Bronxville School Foundation, the PTA, and the Bronxville residents who spearheaded the effort to raise private funds. For those who expressed uncertainty, doubt, or opposition, we will do our best to gain your confidence and support by bringing home a high quality product that is on time and under budget.

Now the work begins, and I am happy to be part of something that will have a positive impact on our students for many years to come.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

District Renews Commitment to Critical Thinking Initiative

Dr. Denise Lutter, Teacher Center Director, gave the Bronxville Board of Education an overview of the faculty's critical thinking initiative, past, present, and future.  Over the past two years professional development efforts have focused on subject-based definitions of critical thinking and ensuring that all students experience projects or units that promote higher-level thinking.  The essential question guiding this work has been:

To what extent do our students produce high quality, original work that demonstrates the capacity for analysis, reasoning, problem-solving, and effective communication about complex, global issues?
Flossie Chua, Consultant from Harvard's Project Zero
The next phase of this work focuses on assessment: How do we know? Key features of the current year include
  • The Humanities Research Seminar, a seminar offered in partnership with Sarah Lawrence, focusing on inquiry into social problems combined with community service in the region;
  • Stepping Up to Questioning, the Elementary program emphasizing instructional strategies that help students to ask questions and reflect on their own learning;
  • Action Research in partnership with Harvard's Project Zero, focusing on assessing depth of understanding in the various subjects; and
  • External feedback from the Tri-State Consortium in May 2013.
Dr. Lutter's presentation can be found here.

Code of Conduct Up for Review

At its September meeting, the Bronxville Board of Education had a first reading of proposed revisions to the District's Code of Conduct. The revisions incorporate new legislation regarding the Dignity for All Students Act, including bullying, cyber-bullying and harassment as well as amplification and clarification of other policies regarding behavior on and off campus, cheating and plagiarism, and dress code. A second reading and vote are scheduled for the October meeting.  The Board asked that students have an opportunity to make suggestions for revisions to the policy and further, that the administration take steps to ensure that the Code is compatible with the District's Honor Code and co-curricular policies. 

We invite comments from the public. The proposed Code can be found here.

Opportunity for Parent Feedback


We strive to sustain a positive, trusting relationship between school and home. Parents with questions about school procedures or classroom practice should feel free to share their concerns directly with the teacher, counselor, or principal. Such informal interaction is a daily, constructive occurrence at each school, and everyone benefits from an atmospher of open, civil communication.

Parents also have the opportunity to register compliments or concerns in connection with employment decisions. This article describes how parents may comment on a probationary teacher, administrator, or tenure candidate. Parents or other community members may share their perceptions through a signed letter addressed to the Principal, in the case of faculty, or to the Superintendent, in the case of administrators. Such letters will be acknowledged in writing by the supervisor, and shared with the individual teacher or administrator, and with the Superintendent and the Board of Education. In light of the timetable calling for tenure recommendations, any such letters should be received not later than March 1st of the teacher’s or administrator’s tenure year. Input even earlier in the tenure process, including years prior to the tenure year, allows more time for professional growth or recognition. It is important to note that parental feedback is only one aspect of an assessment of staff performance that encompasses preparation and planning, classroom management, instruction, and professional responsibilities.
For a list of 2012-13 probationary teachers and tenure candidates, go here.

Residents to Vote on Capital Projects on October 2nd



Proposed MS Science Lab Renovations
On Tuesday, October 2, Village residents will have the opportunity to cast their ballots on a proposition to fund long-planned facilities improvements. In January 2011, the Bronxville Board of Education adopted a Five-Year Capital Plan that identified science lab upgrades, auditorium renovations, and ongoing infrastructure needs as key priorities. The plan grew out of the building conditions survey that was conducted in the fall of 2010.

The current proposition presents to voters a $4.5 million bond. We estimate the total project will not exceed $10 million, but the Board has leveraged funding in several important ways that reduce the impact on local property owners:

  • A public-private partnership would offset the total costs to a significant degree. The Bronxville School Foundation, PTA, and private citizens have contributed over $3 million to the auditorium project. Their contributions enhance the quality of the planned renovations beyond what would be possible by tax revenues alone.
  • An additional $2.5 million would come from the District's existing construction reserve.
  • By refinancing existing debt, the District has realized additional savings of $420,770, or approximately $50,000 annually.
Proposed side lobby addition

The specific projects under consideration were developed and refined through an open, multi-year process of feasibility studies, building conditions surveys, space analysis, and conceptual design. The designs evolved through several stages with the participation of school staff, parents, architects and specialists, and the Board of Education. The Board's facilities committee, which includes public representation, reviewed several options for scope and cost, and finally the Board of Education commissioned an independent review that resulted in the schematic design as it now stands. If the referendum passes, design development will begin, with ongoing monitoring by the Facilities Committee. It is anticipated that value engineering will further reduce costs.  As is the normal course of events in school construction projects, the final plans and associated budget will be approved when the Board of Education authorizes the request to go out to bid in the late spring of 2013.
We encourage citizens to review the schematic designs on the school 's webpage devoted to the Capital Plan. 

The vote will be held on October 2nd. in the Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room, 177 Pondfield Rd., Bronxville, NY 10708. The polls will be open from 7 AM to 9 PM.